Strawberry Bread Pudding

One of my all-time-favorite desserts is bread pudding. I remember the first time I tried it. I was working in the restaurant industry as a teenager. Every night I’d help myself to a serving. Then my mom would surprise me with her own creation on occasion. Now, many years later, I love making all varieties of bread pudding. For special events I won’t leave anything out—including heavy cream and butter. For the most part, though, if I’m craving a special treat or if I plan to give a pan to a neighbor, I opt for more healthful versions—like this one. Enjoy!

 

Bread Pudding

1 pound light whole-wheat bread

broken into small pieces

(or use Ezekiel or rice bread)

2 cups fat-free evaporated milk

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 whole eggs

4 egg whites

3/4 cup Stevia in the Raw (or any

sweetener that measures like

sugar)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Dash sea salt

 

Strawberry Glaze

1 pound strawberries

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons Stevia in the Raw

 

Cream Cheese Glaze

1/2 cup reduced-fat strawberry

cream cheese spread

2 tablespoons reduced-fat

ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon maple extract

3 tablespoons unsweetened

almond milk

2 tablespoons Stevia in the Raw

2 tablespoons nonfat Greek

yogurt (optional)

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the pudding. In a bowl mix the eggs and egg whites and then add all the rest of the ingredients except for the bread, and combine well. Add the bread, and stir until it’s soaked through. Allow up to 30 minutes for it to soak.

Meanwhile, make the strawberry glaze. Core and slice the strawberries. Place them in a medium-sized pot, and add the cornstarch and stevia. Stir over medium heat for five to 10 minutes or until the juice starts to release from the strawberries and the syrup becomes thick. Remove from the heat.

Coat one large pan or two pie pans with cooking spray. Distribute the bread mixture evenly between the pans. Pour the strawberry mixture over the top, and swirl through it with a knife to spread.

Bake for 25 minutes. Check with a toothpick in the middle starting at 20 minutes—if it comes out clean, it’s done.

Remove from the oven, and allow the pudding to cool.

Make the cream cheese glaze. Combine all the ingredients well with an electric mixture. Heat in the microwave to melt, if needed, before drizzling it over the cool bread pudding.

Serve with the yogurt

Note: To increase the protein, you can add more Greek yogurt or some cottage cheese, or you can add vanilla protein powder to the bread mixture before baking. It will change the texture slightly but is still a wonderful treat!

Makes 12 servings in two pie pans, each containing: calories, 163; fat, 3.06 grams; carbohydrate, 38.13 grams; protein, 12.63 grams; fiber, 7.29 grams

—Jenny Grothe

 

Editor’s note: Jenny Grothe is a trainer, nutritionist, motivator, speaker and author who enjoys playing in the kitchen. Having lost 60 pounds, going from a size 14 to a size 4, she knows firsthand the importance of regular training and a clean diet in maintaining a healthful lifestyle. Since losing the weight five years ago, she has competed in seven figure competitions, placing in five, and has run three marathons, including the Boston Marathon in 2011. To contact Jenny and learn more about her services, go to www
.jen-fit.com.